The Powerbook 12" has been reincarnated, and it is an Alienware

For YEARS I've been looking for that perfect PB12 combination of strong processor, fast GPU, lots of ports, and mobility. Although lots of people still use their PB's, these days the G4 processor just isn't up to the task of handling multimedia-heavy webpages. That's why I freaked a little when I saw this!!

It's an 11.6" Alienware that seems to embody all of the traits of the PB. In fact, if you turn off the lights on current Alienware models (M15/M17), they look pretty nice and understated. The finish is very nice too, it's a tough rubberized plastic as opposed to the nasty glossy plastics used in most consumer laptops.

As a replacement for my 12" PB, I've been using a Vaio TZ, but sometimes the power is lacking for number crunching in Matlab or gaming. I'll be very very interested to see what this new Alienware model is like.

You can turn off the LED's, and the design itself is very simple. It's got a few more contours than the old Powerbook, but the overall shape is similar. Honestly, the current Alienware aesthetic is very close to that of the Powerbook G3 style.

I've used the M15 and M17 and they are really clean looking with the LEDs off, and the materials are great. The M11 looks like it's the same design but just scaled down, based on the shots on Gizmodo and Alienware's own website.

Come on, doesn't anyone else think that the form factor, performance, etc. meets the standards set by the Powerbook G4? It's a really big deal to me that there's finally an ultraportable with a strong dedicated graphics chip and CPU again.

Right now, I need both a Lenovo T61 and a Vaio TZ to meet my computing needs. I will probably sell both to get the M11 if the reviews are favorable.

If you guys hate the aesthetics so much, what do you think about this then?

So what you're saying is that we should like something that you claim is aesthetically similar a >10 yr old design? Come now, we've grown up since the G3. Will the Alienware desktop version be a Beige Box w/ fifteen neon LEDs? Not to mention the G3 Powerbook is more organic in design w/ a matte finish while the Alienware is far more geometric and a glossy finish with some cheeseball Alien head on it. Only the ultra basic design elements are similar to, of what I already mentioned, a ten year old device.

I'd say that these two have not very much in common. Straight lines vs. curved lines, matte vs. glossy finish, etc. Ok yes, they are both black...

Click to expand...

Well they're both very understated designs--that's what I was trying to convey. Clearly a 10 year old design will not cut it today, but they share a similar aesthetic. I didn't mean to say that they have the same design features or anything.

You can turn off the LED's, and the design itself is very simple. It's got a few more contours than the old Powerbook, but the overall shape is similar. Honestly, the current Alienware aesthetic is very close to that of the Powerbook G3 style.

Click to expand...

If you turn the LEDs off it's even less distinguishable from its competition. You're left with a high-end laptop that runs windows. Forgive me, but Alienware doesn't exactly have a monopoly on that market.

If you turn the LEDs off it's even less distinguishable from its competition. You're left with a high-end laptop that runs windows. Forgive me, but Alienware doesn't exactly have a monopoly on that market.

Click to expand...

AFAIK there aren't any laptops (other than the PB 12" that comes to mind) that combine 12" form factor with full-size graphics and processor. That's the appeal. The MBA comes close, but it lacks in battery life, graphics performance, and flexibility, and its footprint is too big.

What really made the 12" PowerBook was OS X, and without that, any Windows laptop is not a true replacement.

Click to expand...

True. Windows 7 is nice, but it's not as easy to use or as reliable as OSX. However, since Apple refuses to fill that niche, other companies will. I went from my PB 12" to the MBA, but sold it after a few months due to the drawbacks and went to a Vaio TZ. I miss OSX, but the hardware on the Vaio makes up for it. Hopefully this new Alienware will further reduce the drawbacks of the Vaio, namely, not enough speed for scientific number crunching.

True. Windows 7 is nice, but it's not as easy to use or as reliable as OSX. However, since Apple refuses to fill that niche, other companies will. I went from my PB 12" to the MBA, but sold it after a few months due to the drawbacks and went to a Vaio TZ. I miss OSX, but the hardware on the Vaio makes up for it. Hopefully this new Alienware will further reduce the drawbacks of the Vaio, namely, not enough speed for scientific number crunching.

Click to expand...

To speak from the perspective of someone in science field, number crunching is very rarely done on portables. Data entry/collection is generally done on portables while analysis is completed on more powerful, permanent desktop machines be it Mac or PC...

The MBA can barely hold out 3 hours doing regular stuff, and there's also the issue of the non-replaceable battery and very slow charge time. In comparison, the CULV powered Alienware is supposed to last 6 1/2 hours. Lots of CULV laptops these days can hit 10+ hours, so 6 1/2 with a beefy graphics card seems doable. Citing the 2 hour gaming figure is pretty meaningless.

As for the number-crunching issue, I don't run serious routines on my laptop, but I do lots of envelope detection and other signal analysis type work. These are everyday tasks for me that require my Thinkpad, but I would love to be able to consolidate my Vaio and Thinkpad into one. I'm still in college and I work in research part-time, so I just bring my laptop to and from the lab. What the heck do you mean by so-and-so work "typically done" on a portable vs. a desktop?? If there's anything I've learned from science, it's that anything goes, and most labs don't have the luxury of doing everything with the exact right equipment.

I'm not sure why everyone feels the need to downplay or purposely misunderstand this computer or my posts. Anyways, I think it's badass and it will make my life easier. It will fill the role that the Powerbook left behind. And if it can do that well, I frankly don't care if it doesn't have stylish rounded lines or a fancy fruit logo.

With the emergence of the netbook market, a 12" laptop makes little sense. It is too big to compete with a quality netbook for portability, and it is to small to compete with a traditional laptop.

It is in no-mans land and that is why the OP is having a hard time finding viable machines like this. Most people don't want it.

I certainly understand the desire for dedicate graphics cards in smaller devices. I think laptop and netbook manufacturers overlook this and really should make more machines with such options available.

However as a form factor, the 12" is like buying a 25" HDTV. Doesn't make a lot of sense.

I've used the M15 and M17 and they are really clean looking with the LEDs off, and the materials are great. The M11 looks like it's the same design but just scaled down, based on the shots on Gizmodo and Alienware's own website.

Come on, doesn't anyone else think that the form factor, performance, etc. meets the standards set by the Powerbook G4? It's a really big deal to me that there's finally an ultraportable with a strong dedicated graphics chip and CPU again.

Right now, I need both a Lenovo T61 and a Vaio TZ to meet my computing needs. I will probably sell both to get the M11 if the reviews are favorable.

If you guys hate the aesthetics so much, what do you think about this then?

Click to expand...

My god, they are both rounded squares when they are closed! You may be on to something here.....

The inside is just hideous, plus, my biggest pet peeve: OFF CENTER TRACKPAD!!!

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.